Last season the issue came to a head when fans were accused of carrying out “dangerous manoeuvred” when parking near the ground, with police warning they may prosecute drivers who flouted parking ruled.

Roads near the Riverside stadium, Middlesbrough, where cars have all been given parking tickets

However fans hit back, questioning where they could park on match days, due to a perceived lack of spaces.

But Cleveland Police warned off a parking clampdown ahead of the new season to ensure people were not parking illegally outside the ground.

Middlesbrough Council is erecting clearway signs along the A66 and on the A172 from Longlands Roundabout to its junction with the A66 so that fans know parking is prohibited there - as well as on the verges.

Roads near the Riverside stadium, Middlesbrough, where cars have all been given parking tickets

They say despite a number of warnings issued, people continue to park on the on-slip to the A66 from the Middlehaven junction and are performing “dangerous manoeuvres”.

Ahead of the game, a Cleveland Police spokesperson said: “We have been working closely with Middlesbrough Council and Middlesbrough Football Club to try to resolve the parking issues around the Riverside Stadium for some time now, including exploring opportunities for additional off-street parking.

“Unfortunately, despite the warnings that we issued last season, some people were continuing to park on the grass verges around the A66 on-slip right up until the last game of the season.

“People have reported dangerous manoeuvres being made as people have pulled out onto the A66 where the traffic is very fast-moving, which could have caused serious collisions. Taking risks like this is entirely unacceptable.

“Safety is a priority for us as we want people to enjoy the football and other amenities in the town. I would again encourage people to make use of the ample parking spaces around the town centre and walk the short distance to the stadium.

“Those who do not comply with the parking restrictions can expect to be prosecuted or issued with a fixed penalty.”